Hans Van Lier September 2002

Hans send us this report from his concert with Mick :

Mick Taylor on the small Dutch island of Terschelling.

On Friday 22nd November 2002, Mick Taylor set foot on the small island of Terschelling. A small step for Mick, but a giant leap for the islander Blues Club. The members of the Terschellinger Sleepy Hunter Blues Club had waited for this unique moment with great excitement. Together with Hans van Lier and his group, and the diminutive but impressive blues singer Inki de Jonge, a singer with great charisma, expectations were more than exceeded. In the “Rustende Jager”, the clubs blueshome, Mick felt at ease with this superb backing group. The afternoon of 23nd November was spent enjoijing the ever-changing scenerey of the island, with its dunes, polderland, salt-marshes, the waddensea and sandy beatches. At 10.30 p.m. the first soothing blues sounds eminated from the Hans van Lier group, accomparied by singer Inki. After three warm-up numbers, Mick stepped on stage, sending a ripple of excitement through the audience. His first blues sounds immediately bought 60s sentiments to the surface, images of the free concert in Hyde Park recalled. Especially the second number “You gotta move” from Mississipi Fred Mc Dowell, played by the Stones on “Sticky Fingers”, made the audience ecstatic. This performance lasts 17 minutes, with superb instrumental solo work from Mick, together with the lyrics. Following this, a fantastic non-stop 105 minute performance was produced, much tot the delight of all the blues lovers. A tribute to his musical prowess is the fact that when just 17 years of age, John Mayall asked him to join his blues group. The sound he produces on the slide guitar, also, during his time with the Stones, is second to none. We got to know Mick as a quiet modest man, whose musical talent surfaces the moment he picks up a guitar. For us, that is even better than good stimulating conversation! The evening was a great succes, not in the least thanks to the expertise of the backing group: Hans van Lier/guitar, Eric Bosma/bass, Harrie Groenewold/ drums and Inki de Jonge/vocals. The encore “Honky Tonk Woman” nearly raised the roof! It is clear that the ultimate wish of the blues club, is at sometime in the future, to be able to host a joint performance with Mick Taylor and John Mayall, you never know.

More information about the blues club will appear shortly on our website: www.sleepyhunterbluesclub.nl. Our email adress is: muddy@xs4all.nl

Jan Ellens and Frans Schot.